Tokoroa High School

Tokoroa High School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Tokoroa High School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz

Context

Tokoroa High School is situated in the township of Tokoroa, offering secondary education from Year 9 to 15. The school’s vision is to empower young people to stand tall, seize opportunities, overcome obstacles, make a difference and be resilient. The school promotes the values of aroha, kotahitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. The school has a teen parent unit, Pa Harakeke Continuing Education Centre onsite.

Tokoroa High School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • all students will gain 14 plus credits per subject
  • 90% attendance across the whole school
  • to improve literacy and numeracy skills across the school.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Tokoroa High School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the Year 9 and 10 culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy is improving equitable outcomes for all learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to: 

  • improve student outcomes in the junior school
  • respond to data that is still showing disparity for some groups of learners.

The school expects to see a responsive junior teaching and learning programme that increases student engagement and learner progress and achievement.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how effectively the junior teaching and learning programme is improving equitable outcomes for learners:

  • An inclusive school environment that promotes whanaungatanga.
  • Community partnerships that support teaching and learning.
  • Leadership that is responsive to adapting systems and processes to better meet the needs of learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • teachers and leadership working collaboratively to create and implement a responsive and adaptive curriculum design and plan for Year 9 and 10
  • gathering a range of data to monitor student progress and achievement throughout the year and respond and adapt where needed to better meet the needs of all learners.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

24 January 2024

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Tokoroa High School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of December 2022, the Tokoroa High School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Actions for Compliance

ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • Ensure that all teachers appointed have a current practising certificate. 
    [Section 92 (2) Education and Training Act 2020]

The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance.

Further Information

For further information please contact Tokoroa High School Board of Trustees.

The next Board of Trustees assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

24 January 2024 

About the School 

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Tokoroa High School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

The school attested that it complies with all the aspects of the Code and completes an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

The school currently no international student attending the school, and no exchange students.

Tokoroa High School’s annual self-review processes are mostly effective. The school can provide academic, cultural, and extra-curricular learning opportunities for international students. Pastoral systems can support students to settle into the school, experience success in their chosen academic pathway, and support with transition into future study and or employment.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

24 January 2024

About the School 

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Tokoroa High School - 16/11/2017

Summary

Tokoroa High School caters for students in Years 9 to 15 who come from the town of Tokoroa and the surrounding rural and forestry areas. The student roll is 578 the majority of whom identify as Māori. Approximately 20% of the roll are Pacific students, with Cook Island Māori being the most prevalent. Te Whānau a Noa, the on-site marae, is used to foster and promote both Māori and Pacific traditions.

The steady improvement in overall achievement of students in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 1 - 3 has continued since the 2014 ERO report. The achievement of all ethnic groups in the school is comparable at NCEA Level 2. There continues to be underachievement for boys at level 1 and 3, Māori and Pacific students in University Entrance (UE).

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all students?

This school responds to most Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

At the time of this review school data shows that most students achieve NCEA Level 2 before leaving school. The achievement of Māori and Pacific students is comparable with that of other ethnic groups in the school. There continues to be under-achievement for boys at Levels 1 and 3 and under-achievement of Māori and Pacific students in University Entrance and in courses with an academic orientation.

A number of school processes are enabling achievement of equity and excellence. These include:

  • distributed leadership which promotes innovation and improvement
  • whanaungatanga both within and across the various cultural groups within the school that leads to a greater sense of belonging and greater engagement
  • the wide variety of initiatives that respond to the learning needs and aspirations of different groups
  • the support for students to develop programmes of study which are likely to lead to meaningful employment
  • improving teacher practice through a more culturally responsive and relational approach.

Further developments are required in the following areas:

  • continuing to improve teacher practice
  • building the capacity and capability of middle leaders
  • improving some board targets to ensure a focus on those students at risk of not achieving
  • improving systems for internal evaluation.

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all learners. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and other learners remains.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the learners whose progress and achievement need to be accelerated
  • need to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each learner
  • need to improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of learners’ progress and achievement
  • need to build teacher capability to accelerate learners’ progress and achievement.

The school agrees to:

  • develop more targeted planning to accelerate progress for learners
  • monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and learners’ progress
  • discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will:

  • provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning
  • provide an internal workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all learners.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Equity and excellence

How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

This school responds effectively to most Māori, Pacific and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

Approximately three quarters of students achieve NCEA Level 2 before leaving school. There is very little disparity between Māori, Pacific and other groups at this level. There continues to be under-achievement for boys at Levels 1 and 3 and under-achievement of Māori and Pacific students in UE and in courses with an academic orientation.

Achievement data collected by the school indicates that there is general improvement for many students in Years 9-10 in literacy and mathematics. However, there is a significant number of students who are not making sufficient progress in order to be fully prepared for NCEA Level 1.

The school has systems for tracking and monitoring student progress for Years 9-10. The school can report anecdotally that there are students that make accelerated progress. However, leaders and teachers are yet to formally use rates of progress data to respond to student’s learning needs and evaluate teaching programmes.

Tracking and monitoring systems at Year 11-13 allow teachers to identify and respond to students who are at risk of not completing their qualification.

Students with special educational needs are well cared for and provided with appropriate individual educational programmes to support their learning.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has a range of effective processes that enable the achievement of equity and excellence for students.

Trustees have a strong commitment to ensure quality learning pathways that lead to further training and employment are available for all students.

Leaders work collaboratively with other staff to create a positive environment that is inclusive, values diversity, and promotes student wellbeing. Students have a strong sense of belonging and identity. A distributed approach to leadership promotes innovation and change.

The school effectively draws on parent, whānau and community resources and expertise to increase learning opportunities for student achievement and wellbeing. There is a range of strategies to engage parents as partners in their children’s learning.

Whanaungatanga is a feature of the school and contributes to students positively engaging in their learning. The school offers a wide variety of initiatives that respond to the learning needs and aspirations of various groups. Students are well supported to develop programmes of study which are likely to lead to meaningful training and employment. School leaders have recognised culturally responsive and relational teaching practice (CRRP) as a major determinant in improving learning outcomes for students. The school CRRP development team has established a strong foundation upon which to build. The increasing focus on culturally responsive teaching is contributing to raising student achievement.

Professional development is well-aligned with the strategic direction of the school. Students learning and wellbeing are the focus of all professional learning and development. The school has a good framework for monitoring progress against the achievement plans which have been developed to accomplish the school’s charter targets.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

A range of school processes are effective in achieving equity and excellence. In order to address the ongoing underachievement of boys, Māori and Pacific students, particularly in UE, the school needs to:

  • further embed culturally responsive and relational pedagogy
  • target culturally responsive teaching practice within the strategic plan and charter to ensure it continues as a major focus at all levels of the school
  • strengthen the use of student voice in internal evaluation
  • develop a coherent approach to behaviour management that aligns with the principles of culturally responsive and relational teaching practice.

Strengthen the capability and capacity of middle management to:

  • improve teacher capability in the use of progress and achievement data, particularly at Years 9 and 10 to identify student learning needs and respond to them
  • develop students’ understanding and use of their levels and next steps in learning at Years 9 and 10.

School leaders need to review current achievement targets to ensure that they are focused on accelerating the progress of students who are most at risk of not achieving.

In order to improve the quality of internal evaluation the school needs to focus on measuring progress against specific and measurable targets, and ensure that the appraisal system is fully implemented. Attention to these aspects should enable the school to enact more robust evaluation processes.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO board assurance statement and self-audit checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to the following:

  • board administration

  • curriculum

  • management of health, safety and welfare

  • personnel management

  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)

  • physical safety of students

  • teacher registration and certification

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students

  • attendance

  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

The systems and processes in place support the student’s welfare needs. Pastoral care includes effective orientation and learning support. The school meets the requirements of the Education Act, (Pastoral Care of International Students Code of Practice 2016).  Students are assessed and participate in English, other languages and courses across the curriculum. The school aligns well with most of the indicators for the quality of education.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all learners. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and other learners remains.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the learners whose progress and achievement need to be accelerated
  • need to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each learner
  • need to improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of learners’ progress and achievement
  • need to build teacher capability to accelerate learners’ progress and achievement.

The school agrees to:

  • develop more targeted planning to accelerate progress for learners
  • monitortargeted planning, improved teaching, and learners’ progress
  • discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will:

  • provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning
  • provide an internal workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all learners.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

16 November 2017

About the school

Location

Tokoroa

Ministry of Education profile number

158

School type

Secondary School (Years 9 – 15)

School roll

578

Gender composition

Girls 48% Boys 52%

Ethnic composition

Māori 62%
Cook Island Māori 12%
Other Pacific 6%
Pākehā 16%
Asian 3%
Other 1%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

September 2017

Date of this report

16 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2014
Supplementary Review November 2012
Education Review December 2009

Tokoroa High School - 16/05/2014

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Tokoroa High School caters for students in Years 9 to 15 from the town of Tokoroa and the surrounding rural and forestry areas. The current student roll is 543, and this represents an increase since the previous ERO review. The majority of students are identified as Māori, and the largest affiliations are to Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Maniapoto. Approximately 20% of the roll is identified as Pacific, with Cook Island Māori being the most prevalent. A feature of the school is its inclusive culture, where the language and identity of all students are recognised, valued and affirmed. Te Marae a Noa is the on-site marae that respects both Māori and Pacific traditions.

The principal, senior management and curriculum leaders have continued in their positions of responsibility since the previous ERO report in 2012, which identified areas of compliance to be addressed by the board and school management. In addition, the 2012 ERO report recommended the review and development of several significant areas linked to the management of assessment, and the leadership of teaching and learning in the school.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) have coordinated a sustained programme of advice and support for trustees, school leaders and staff, who have responded very positively. The focus for teacher professional development has been literacy teaching and learning, with a priority on written language. The use of assessment data at all levels of the school has also been a priority for professional learning.

This report acknowledges the progress made by the school in addressing the issues identified in the previous ERO report, and identifies areas for continued development.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

Governance

The board of trustees has worked successfully with school leaders and external support to address the matters of non-compliance identified in the 2012 ERO review. Areas of progress include governance procedures to ensure that:

  • the principal is appraised annually, and that he has a current performance management agreement
  • delegations of authority are recorded and supported by a management reporting schedule
  • all non-teaching staff are police vetted within the previous three years
  • parents of students in Years 9 and 10 are reported to on their child’s achievement and progress
  • a complaints file is maintained, which includes school and board responses
  • conflicts of interest are identified and responded to, prior to decision making
  • teaching staff salary increments, as a result of positive attestation against requirement criteria, are reported to and approved by trustees.

The chairperson has sustained his effective leadership of the board through challenging times of change. Trustees demonstrate strong support for the principal and staff, and actively promote student academic success through an awards and incentive scheme. The board has continued to strengthen its community links, especially with Māori whānau and Pacific fono.

Self-review and reporting processes have been strengthened. Trustees now receive annual reports from curriculum leaders, and the term-by-term review folder includes evidence of the monitoring of school-wide planning and appropriate student information data.

Next steps

ERO and the board recognise that an excessive, and potentially unsustainable degree of responsibility for school leadership is currently being carried by the principal. The chairperson supports the need for an urgent review to rebalance management responsibilities.

School-wide approaches to teaching and learning

Senior and curriculum leaders and teachers have undertaken sustained professional development since the last ERO review, which has strengthened several areas of practice. During 2013, staff have met each Wednesday afternoon for workshops to enhance literacy teaching strategies, with an emphasis on writing. Departments have developed subject specific guidelines to further support a more consistent approach to student learning through literacy.

Agreed expectations for teaching and classroom practice have been shared, with an increased emphasis on high expectations for student engagement and success.

Next steps

In order to sustain improvements to teaching practice, school leaders and ERO agree that leaders and teachers’ performance management goals should be aligned with current strategic priorities.

Management of Assessment

Significant progress has been made in the school-wide management of assessment.

The school works collaboratively with contributing schools to gather considerable achievement information on students entering Year 9. This data is effectively used to place students in classes, and to establish support interventions for those students most at risk of not achieving their potential. Achievement information is shared with staff and there are now shared expectations about how this information is to be used to:

  • plan curriculum classroom programmes that respond to the interests and learning needs of students
  • group students in classes to assist differentiation in learning.

The Junior Diploma Certificate has provided a greater sense of purpose and structure to programmes at Years 9 and 10. All those interviewed by ERO confirmed that student engagement in and motivation toward their learning has been improved. These groups maintained that the culture for learning and high expectations for progress and success are raising educational outcomes for students. Department assessment systems are now more closely aligned with school and diploma expectations. Students now receive consistent advice and guidance about course selections in the senior school.

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) data from 2013 shows significant progress in student achievement in national qualifications. Of particular note is the substantial increase in the number of subject and certificate endorsements gained, and the high proportion of students gaining NCEA Level 2 before they leave the school. Overall student achievement is now comparable to national averages, and above that of schools of similar decile.

Next steps

Senior and curriculum leaders and ERO agree that the next priority for assessment practice is to align the grades in the Junior Diploma Certificate with The New Zealand Curriculum levels. This development would strengthen reporting to parents and allow more specific monitoring of student achievement levels and progress at Years 9 and 10.

Success for Māori and Pacific Students

Māori and Pacific students make up a considerable majority of the roll. The improved academic performance of the school is based on these students achieving success as Māori and Pacific. These students have responded very positively to the sustained efforts of the school to value and respect the culture, language and identity of both Māori and Pacific students. The school has employed a significant number of staff with Māori and Pacific connections, many of whom support students through the culturally responsive pastoral care systems. Cultural performance groups are inclusive, active and successful. Whānau and fono groups maintain positive connections with the school.

NCEA data for 2013 indicates that Māori students achieved on average above Māori students nationally, and at comparable levels to non-Māori in the school. In addition, Māori students achieved at similar levels to non-Māori in the Year 9 and 10 Junior Diploma Certificate.

The same data indicates that in 2013 Pacific students achieved at levels significantly above Pacific students nationally, and comparable to non-Pacific students in the school. A similar pattern of academic success for Pacific students is reflected in the Junior Diploma Certificate information.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?

The school is well placed to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance. Support factors include the:

  • board of trustees which is now more effective in its governance roles, and confident it is meeting its legislative requirements
  • principal and senior leadership team who have been successful is providing a sense of positive direction and progress within the school and wider community
  • curriculum leaders and staff who have set and modelled high expectations for students success
  • inclusive school culture which supports students wellbeing and promotes increased engagement in learning
  • robust assessment and other student achievement information which is supporting more evidence-based self review at different levels of the school.
Area for review

To sustain the significant positive progress in educational outcomes for students, the board, senior leaders and ERO agree that a strategic review of the balance of responsibilities currently carried by members of the senior leadership team should now be undertaken. This review would have input from principal, senior leaders and be externally facilitated.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

16 May 2014

About the School

Location

Tokoroa

Ministry of Education profile number

158

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 15)

School roll

543

Gender composition

Boys 52%

Girls 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Cook Island Māori

Samoan

Indian

Other Pacific Islands

Other Asian

Other European

Other

60%

18%

14%

3%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Special Features

Teen Parent Unit and Te Kahui Whetu Unit and Services Academy Unit

Lead cluster school for Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour

Review team on site

March 2014

Date of this report

16 May 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Supplementary Review

November 2012

December 2009

October 2007